Battle It Out

by Reese Knightley

  Isaac wanted to jump to Zane’s defense, but he kept his mouth shut other than to shift in his chair. He shifted, uncomfortable sitting while Zane stood at attention.

  “Something to say, Sergeant Thorne?” Maddox glared at him.

  “I do, Sir,” he responded.

  “Then say it.”

  “Zane and I work very well together. We had a misunderstanding earlier. It won’t happen again. I’m willing to forget it and move on if Zane is.” He kept his gaze on Maddox’s across the desk.

  Maddox studied him so long that Isaac shifted in his chair.

  “What do you say, Master Sergeant?” Maddox’s razor-sharp eyes snapped to Zane.

  “I’m sorry. I fucked up. I brought up a personal matter that shouldn’t have been brought up on a mission. It won’t happen again.”

  “It fucking better not happen again or next time, you’ll be in the colonel’s office instead of mine.”

  “You have my word,” Zane rasped.

  “Mine too,” he said over the lump in his throat. He couldn’t have gotten out another word to save his fucking life.

  He tried not to read into Zane’s “personal matter” comment but he couldn’t. Did Zane think the kiss a mistake? Of course, he does. The only thing he could do now was to make damned sure he stayed on his side of the line.

  “Stand up, Sergeant Thorne.”

  He shoved to his feet and stood at attention. Not exactly next to Zane, but close enough.

  “Face each other,” Maddox ordered.

  Isaac turned to face Zane, he had to tip his head a bit to meet the soldier’s gaze.

  Zane’s eyes were a dark green turbulence of emotion that he couldn’t decipher, and he knew his own eyes were filled with sorrow and regret.

  “Promise each other that you’ll figure out what the hell is going on, but never again on a mission.”

  “I promise,” he murmured.

  “I promise,” Zane said.

  “Now get the hell out of my office,” Maddox muttered.

  Isaac pulled open the door and stepped out into the hallway. He sat his back to the wall and leaned his head back, taking in a deep breath.

  Zane closed the door and stood silently.

  “We fucked up big time,” he said.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too.” He wiped at the sweat on his forehead. “You think he’ll pair us together?”

  “If we keep to our word, maybe.”

  “Okay then, let’s do that.” He shoved from the wall and walked down the hallway. Zane dropped into step at his side.

  “Agreed, but…”

  “But what?” He stepped out into the sunshine.

  “Are we ever going to talk about what happened?”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” he glared at Zane. Now the guy wanted to talk?

  “No.” Zane swallowed, holding his hands out away from his sides.

  “Master Sergeant, got a minute?” Lieutenant River Seeger said quietly from the doorway.

  “Yes,” Zane said, not taking his eyes from him.

  Isaac spun away and stalked off. Every step he took he could feel Zane’s eyes boring into his back.

  Zane

  “Hey ya, fuckwad,” Dillon said, slapping a breakfast tray down next to him.

  “What?” he grumbled over his eggs and toast.

  “Maddox chew you a new asshole the other day?”

  “Him and River both.” He grimaced.

  “It was like listening to a soap opera,” Dillon said smugly.

  “Fuck you,” he groaned.

  “So… you kissed my brother.”

  “That’s private between me and him.”

  “Ah.” There was a wealth of meaning in the one word, but he ignored it.

  “How’s your mom?” he changed the subject.

  “She’s hurting.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah. She wants to see Isaac. I just want him to make his peace with her before she passes away.”

  “Wait, she’s that ill?”

  “She’s not at death’s door, but she’s growing weaker. I can see it.”

  “I’ll talk to him.”

  “You?” Dillon arched one eyebrow.

  Zane grimaced. “Okay, I may not be the best person right now, but I’ll try.”

  “Well, if you do, I’d appreciate it.”

  “No worries, man.”

  It was a short drive to Isaac’s house and he really had to work up the nerve, but he’d promised Dillon.

  Who am I kidding? He wanted to be there, but he sat in his jeep letting it idle while he stared at the front door. The blue trimmed gray house appeared deserted in the early morning light. He’d spent plenty of nights there crashing on the couch or floor when he’d been too tired to drive back to the base. Not now, though, now he crashed at the base. It was another reminder of just how much had changed between them.

  His phone rang with an incoming call from Diesel.

  “Hey bro.”

  “You never return my calls,” his big brother groused.

  “I’m sorry. We just got back from an op.”

  Diesel grunted. “Triton and I got the final approval for the adoption.”

  “No shit?” He smiled.

  “No shit. The twins are arriving in a few days.”

  The twins had been abandoned at a local church about nine months ago. A little boy and girl around five years old.”

  “I’m so happy for you, bro.” He gripped the phone tightly.

  “I’ll keep you posted.”

  “You better,” he warned and they talked a while longer.

  “All right, bro. I have Triton waving me down from the paint aisle. Apparently, the kids can’t have the same colored rooms.”

  He laughed. “Talk to you later.”

  Ending the call, he finally shut off his jeep. When he reached the front porch, Lacy came out of Isaac’s front door.

  “Is Isaac home?”

  “He’s running some errands. He should be back in an hour.” She held up her jacket. “I left this here.”

  “Um, okay.” He didn’t care about her jacket. “Can you tell him I came by?”

  “Sure.” She closed the door and gave him a tentative smile.

  He made a quick decision. “Tell him to meet me at Stars Italian place when he gets back.” It was Isaac’s favorite place to eat.

  “Will do. See you!” She waved and moved down the walkway that led to her house.

  “See ya.”

  Once back at the base, he yanked one of his dress shirts out of his closet and changed. Stopping in front of the mirror, he rubbed at the stubble along his jaw, no need to shave yet.

  A half an hour later, he stepped into the restaurant.

  “Table for one?” the hostess asked when he stepped into the small waiting area.

  “Two. I’m waiting for someone.”

  “Your name?”

  “Zane.”

  She wrote in her book and he took a seat on the bench just inside the door, gripping the small package. He stared down at Isaac’s birthday present, wishing he’d wrapped it with something a bit more festive than a brown paper bag and string.

  Couples and families came and crowded inside and outside and he was glad he’d gotten there before the rush.

  “Zane, party of two?”

  He stood, glanced out the door, but no Isaac. He must be running late. Following the hostess, she seated him at a booth along the window. Which was perfect. He could see the parking lot.

  The minutes ticked by, but there was no sign of Isaac’s SUV.

  He ordered a coffee from the waitress and sent her away.

  Should he text him? He glanced at his silent phone.

  What if Lacy didn’t have a chance to give Isaac the message? What if she gave Isaac the message and he didn’t want to come? It would only make Isaac uncomfortable to then get a text from him. Fuck. He’d been stood up.

  Another fifteen minutes went by
and the waiter returned.

  “Going to order?”

  He’d been waiting almost an hour.

  “Let’s start with the garlic bread? I’m going to give him more time,” he finished, feeling lame.

  “Sure.”

  The garlic bread was tasteless and he usually loved it. Paying his bill, he snatched up the present and left the restaurant and drove back to base.

  Making his way down the hall to his bunk, he placed the present on the dresser and tore off the nice shirt before he tugged back on the t-shirt.

  “Screw you, Thorne!” Holden’s laugh came from out in the hallway.

  “I swear it was!” Isaac chuckled as their voices moved past.

  “Sure it was.” Ethan’s voice drifted down the hallway before the three voices faded in the direction of the locker room.

  His heart pounded, heat filled his chest and neck, and his face grew suddenly hot. Sucking in a deep breath, he rubbed at his dry lips and walked to the small dresser near his cot. He snatched up Isaac’s birthday present and stalked out of the bunk room and down the hall.

  Entering the locker room, mist clung in the air from a hot shower going on in the back. A few soldiers were standing at lockers in the middle row.

  Making a left, he walked down until he reached the row where Isaac’s locker was located.

  Isaac sat with his head bent, looking at his phone.

  “Happy birthday” he said quietly. “I didn’t get a chance to give you this.” He placed the small square package on the bench next to Isaac.

  Isaac’s blond head snapped up, those wide blue eyes on his face and a slight frown marred his handsome face.

  “Happy birthday my ass!” Isaac scowled at him, but snatched up the package and clutched it to his chest.

  “I wanted to give you that on your birthday, but I wasn’t going to stay where I wasn’t wanted,” he growled.

  He spun and pushed past Dillon in the doorway and walked out.

  Isaac

  What the fuck did Zane mean, he hadn’t been wanted?

  He frowned at the empty doorway for a long moment, and then with eager fingers, he untied the burlap string and tore off the brown paper.

  The room swam when the title of the book was revealed and he clutched it to his chest, holding back the strangled sound.

  “I’ll fucking kill him,” Dillon snarled.

  “No, Look!” He held out the book and Dillon’s gaze softened.

  Isaac sniffled, running his fingers over the beloved classic.

  What’s your favorite childhood book?” Zane had asked, turning to face him on the couch.

  Isaac smiled and then pursed his lips at the unhappy memory. He’d swallowed and gazed out the window of the small, secluded safe house.

  “Tell me.” Zane brushed his fingers over his wrist.

  “Call of the Wild,” he whispered. The view from the front window of the hideaway house really was stunning, but nothing compared to the man sitting by his side.

  “That makes you sad.” Zane’s fingers closed around his wrist.

  “When I was eight, I had the book at the table with me. Some liquid got spilled and the book was tossed away,” he shared vaguely.

  He didn’t tell the truth, that his father had knocked over his mug of coffee on the table and then in a drunken rage had swiped his arm across the surface, clearing everything. The table settings, the food his mother had painstakingly prepared, and the precious book she’d gotten him a week earlier.

  When he and Dillon had scrambled from the table, his father had grabbed their mother by her hair and jerked her around. He remembered Dillon shoving him into the coat closet and closing the door. Only the door hadn’t closed completely…

  The slamming of a locker jerked him back to Dillon and the room. His brother’s hand was rubbing up and down his back.

  “Isaac?”

  “I’m okay.” He shrugged off Dillon’s hand and carefully tucked the book into his duffle bag.

  “You want to talk about what happened when he kissed you?” Dillon said.

  “No,” he said quietly.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah.” He gave his brother a rueful look and then yanked him into a quick and tight hug. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Wait.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Luke wants you to come over for dinner at our place when I get back.”

  “Where you going?”

  “The Colonel needs me, Ethan, and Archer to take care of a small problem. I should only be gone a few days.”

  It wasn’t uncommon for a few of the unit to take smaller missions that didn’t need a whole team.

  “Be safe,” he told his brother and hefted his duffle bag over one shoulder.

  “I will.” They exchanged a tight hug.

  It was a short ride to his place and his stomach was growling by the time he parked. He was fucking starved. Out running errands all afternoon, he hadn’t taken the time to eat.

  Letting himself inside the quiet house, he locked the door and headed straight to the shower. He didn’t feel like normal until he was clean and changed into a pair of sweats and t-shirt. He ordered food to be delivered and plopped down on the couch.

  A sound at the back door had him glancing toward the kitchen.

  “It’s just me,” Lacy called out as she was coming out of the kitchen. She was the only one besides Dillon who had a key. They both stopped by and fed Bear when he was out of town.

  “Mind if I use your dryer?” She held an armful of damp clothing. “Mine decided to quit on me.”

  “Yeah sure. You eat yet?”

  “Not yet.”

  “I ordered Chinese, enough for an army.”

  “Count me in.” She disappeared into the laundry room and he flipped on the television, finding a comedy to watch.

  The doorbell rang and he jumped up. Giving the guy a tip, he toed the door closed and placed the food containers on the table.

  Lacy came from the kitchen with two cans of black cherry sparkling soda. She took over and dished up a massive plate of orange chicken and noodles and presented it with a flourish.

  He smiled and took the plate, digging in.

  “Episode five?” Lacy nodded to the tv and plucked up a container to serve herself.

  “Yep,” he nodded. They’d been watching the first two seasons of Schitt’s Creek.

  “Cool.”

  “Hey?”

  “Yeah?” She glanced over.

  “I thought you told Zane I wanted him to come back that day on my birthday.”

  Lacy blinked at him in surprise. “I told Jo when I gave her her purse and jacket.” Lacy frowned. “Why? She didn’t tell Zane?”

  “Apparently not. Now he thinks that he wasn’t wanted.” He sighed and poked at his chicken.

  “That bitch.” She plopped on the couch cross-legged and faced him. “I’m so sorry! I should have talked to him personally instead of Jo.”

  “It’s okay. Jo wants him for herself.”

  “I can’t believe her!”

  He shrugged. “It’s ok “

  She sniffed and then gasped, her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide.

  “What?”

  “Did you come back here after your errands?”

  “Yeah, I grabbed my workout gear and met up with Ethan and Holden at the base.”

  “I didn’t see you,” she said, distressed.

  “It’s kind of hard to miss my SUV, Lacy. Why?”

  “Shit! Shit! Zane came by while you were out, he said to meet him at Stars Italian place.”

  “What?” His stomach felt queasy.

  “I should have left a note. Fuck. Damn it, I’m so stupid.”

  “It’s not your fault,” he said numbly, glancing at his watch. “What time did he come by?”

  “About three.”

  He would have just been coming back from errands. He could have easily gotten to the restaurant. How long had Zane waited for him? Why didn’t Z
ane say something about it in the locker room? Zane’s eyes had been filled with shadows. I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted.

  “I’m going to call him.”

  “Right now?” She glanced away from the TV and he grimaced. He’d put her off watching this for a week.

  He gave a slight smile. “I’ll call later.”

  “Cool.” She smiled back and lifted her plate.

  He turned up the volume and slumped back on the couch to finish his food, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get into the show.

  After three episodes, he called it a night. Lacy helped him clean up everything and even went so far as to collect the trash and place a new bag inside. She kissed his cheek before she left.

  He locked up the house, retreating to his room. It was just after ten o’clock. Sliding beneath the blankets, he picked up his phone. Staring at the screen for a moment, he finally punched in Zane’s number.

  “Hey,” Zane rumbled and Isaac imagined the soldier wearing briefs sprawled in his bed, hopefully alone.

  “You have time to talk?”

  “Yeah,” Zane replied, sounding wary.

  “Lacy didn’t catch me in time when I stopped home to grab my workout clothes. So, I didn’t get your message,” he said in a rush.

  “I see.”

  “I would have been there. I wish…” He took a deep breath. “That you would have called me.”

  “Me too,” Zane admitted. “I thought about it, but then I wasn’t sure if you even wanted me around after what happened.”

  “The kiss?”

  “That and the day of your party.”

  “My party?” He frowned, scooting up in the bed. “Zane, on the day of my party, when you walked out, I sent Lacy to get you to come back.”

  “You did?” Zane’s voice gentled as if his words had pleased the hell out of him.

  “Yeah. Lacy told Jo for you to come back inside.”

  “I didn’t get the message.”

  “I guess Jo didn’t tell you, but I did want you to stay.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “I love the book. Thank you.” And the kiss, but he bit back the words. He didn’t want to upset the calm between them yet.

  “You’re welcome,” came the quiet reply.